Commonly called “Freedom of speech” the first amendment was proposed in 1789 by James Madison. The amendment was later ratified in 1791 as part of the bill of rights.
The first amendment states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
This basically means:
The U.S. government cannot mandate a certain religion for all its citizens. U.S. citizens have the right to choose what faith we want to follow.
The U.S. government cannot subject its citizens to rules and laws that prohibit them from speaking our minds.
The press can print and circulate the news without fear of reprisal, even if that news is less than favorable regarding our country or government.
U.S. citizens have the right to gather toward common goals and interests without interference from the government or the authorities.
U.S. Citizens can petition the government to suggest changes and voice concerns.
Fun facts about the first amendment:
The Bill of Rights were amendments added later as a compromise to secure ratification of the Constitution. The Bill of Rights weren’t ratified by states until 1791. When the Constitution was originally signed, it didn’t contain the Bill of Rights because it was considered unnecessary.
The First Amendment was the third on the list of the proposed amendments for the Bill of Rights. Yes, there were twelve that were proposed, only the last ten were ratified.
The right to associate also prohibits the government from requiring a group to register its members and forbids the government to deny benefits on the basis of an individual’s current or past membership with a group. So whether you are a member of PETA, the KKK, or your local book club, the government has the same responsibility to help you. If you need a driver’s license or food stamps, the government has to provide them.
The first freedoms guaranteed in this historic document were inspired by Thomas Jefferson and articulated in just 45 words by James Madison.
Madison believed that the people needed their fundamental freedoms to be protected and was the government’s responsibility to do so.
After several Supreme Court rulings, it was decided that the First Amendment applies to federal, state, and local governments, including all branches of government. However, there are limitations to free speech in the case of “clear or present danger,” according to the Supreme Court ruling in Schenck v. the United States. In that landmark case from World War I, it was determined that freedom of speech could be limited if the homeland is in imminent danger. (Seems like yet another infringement on our rights)
The Founding Fathers believed that a free press was an essential safeguard against despotism, and integral to advancing human understanding of the sciences, arts, and humanities.
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